Top 5 – Joseph Gordon-Levitt Movies

It is incredible to think how long and prolific Joseph Gordon-Levitt’s career has been.  From being the adorable, baseball-loving orphan in Angels in the Outfield (1994), to ‘King of the Indies’ in the mid-2000’s, to one of Hollywood’s most diverse leading men, Levitt has proven he can do anything and can do anything well.  This weekend, Levitt stars in Snowden, the latest Oliver Stone film about N.S.A. informant Edward Snowden.  So, in honor of that, here’s a look at the best Joseph Gordon-Levitt movies.

Remember, these movies are based on performance and movie quality.

Also, this list was incredibly hard to make.  I easily could have had ten.

5 – JON in DON JON (Joseph Gordon-Levitt, 2013)

I remember seeing Don Jon on Tuesday afternoon in October of 2013.  Nobody was in the theater besides me, some other guy two rows ahead of me, and a group of four older women in their 60’s.  Me and the other dude loved it, but I didn’t hear the women laugh once, except for one woman who said, “Well, that was interesting” as the credits rolled.  Don Jon is a movie I love more than most.  I think it is a hilarious and smart coming of age movie about modern dating and personal happiness.  Levitt is awesome, satirically playing a New Jersey “bro” perfectly while also not being annoying.  I also loved Scarlett Johansson as his incredibly sexy and tough minded girlfriend.  But the real reason why this movie on the list over other, arguably, some of his better movies, is because he also directed the movie and he directed it very well.  The movie has an energy and unique feel to it that is due to Levitt’s assured work behind the camera.  This proved that Levitt was more than just an actor, and he proved it even more with the creation of his HitRECord show.  This is one of Levitt’s most impressive feats.

4 – CHRIS PRATT in THE LOOKOUT (Scott Frank, 2007)

In the early to mid 2000’s, Levitt was a staple in the indie scene.  With films like Manic (2001), Mysterious Skin (2004), and the wild noir, Brick (2005), he gave a number of diverse performances, really expanding his range as an actor.  My favorite film during this run is the criminally under-seen The Lookout.  Levitt plays a once promising high school athlete who’s life is changed forever when he gets into a horrific car accident that causes him to have a severe brain injury.  Attempting to live a normal life, he works as a janitor at a bank, which seemingly gets him caught up in a planned robbery.  This is fascinating, intense film that shows you aren’t limited by your disability.  Levitt is superb, as is Jeff Daniels, who plays Chris’s blind roommate, Lewis, and Matthew Goode, who is menacing as the leader of the robbers, Gary.  The Lookout is a great, underrated movie with a number of twists and turns to keep you entertained and compelled the whole time.

3 – ADAM in 50/50 (Jonathan Levine, 2011)

I believe that Levitt’s performance in 50/50 might be the best overall performance of his career.  This is a performance that blends Levitt’s endless charisma with his dramatic chops to give us a layered, moving performance.  Based on a true story, 50/50 tells the story of Adam (Levitt), a 27-year-old who is diagnosed with cancer and his battle to defeat the disease.  This is a touching, emotional, often times hilarious look at how important friends and family are during a time in need.  This was the first performance Seth Rogen gave that really showed he was capable of something more than stoner comedies and I really liked Anjelica Huston as Adam’s strong, yet grieving mother.  This is a great dramedy with a truly great, rounded performance by Levitt.

2 – ARTHUR in INCEPTION (Christopher Nolan, 2010)

Inception is the best overall movie on this list.  Christopher Nolan created something truly special with this film.  This is as big and bold as movies get.  It is a mind-blowing experience that requires multiple viewings to dissect the many layers that are involved through-out the film.  It’s a tale of love, loss, and obsession, all rolled into an intricate, action-packed spy film.  Inception also features an all-star cast, of which Levitt is my personal favorite.  Leonardo DiCaprio is great, as is Marion Cotillard and Tom Hardy, but Levitt really stands out as the no non-sense Arthur.  Arthur is Cobb’s number one.  He’s the man that makes sure everything goes to plan and that everything is where it is suppose to be.  Levitt gives an earnest, unflappable performance that is also his most physical (he did his own stunts for most of the breathtaking hallway fight scene).  Inception is a modern masterpiece with one of Levitt’s most under appreciated performance.

1 – TOM in (500) DAYS OF SUMMER (Marc Webb, 2009)

(500) Days of Summer shows us the relationship between Tom (Levitt) and Summer (Zooey Deschanel).  We see their ups and downs, and everything in between.  Typical rom-com, right?  Wrong.  (500) Days of Summer is an original, fun, and realistic look at dating in your late 20’s.  Levitt is wonderful as Tom, the hopeless romantic who falls head over heels for a girl who doesn’t feel the same way.  He is funny, sweet, heartbreaking, and relatable.  This is the performance that really put Levitt on the map as a leading man.  Marc Webb made something truly great with (500) Days of Summer.  Using a non-linear structure, we see Tom and Summer’s relationship grow and fall simultaneously, giving us a clear picture of what happened.  In the 2000’s, romantic comedies hit an all-time low, with a number Matthew McConaughey and Kate Hudson duds.  But, (500) Days of Summer showed that the genre wasn’t dead.  It, in fact, rejuvenated what was great about the genre and gave us hope for the future.  This is one of the best romantic comedies of all-time and my favorite Joseph Gordon-Levitt movie.

What are your favorite Joseph Gordon-Levitt movies?  Comment below or hit me up on Twitter @kevflix.  And make sure to LIKE Kevflix on Facebook!